Vikings' Christian Ponder forced to sit out playoff loss

Vikings quarterback Joe Webb (14), playing in place of the injured Christian Ponder, runs from Packers defenders during the first half of their wild-card playoff on Saturday in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers advanced to the divisional playoff round against San Francisco.

GREEN BAY, WIS. — Joe Webb became the first quarterback in NFL history to start a playoff game without having thrown a single pass in the regular season.

It didn’t work out well.

DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn had short touchdown runs and Kuhn caught a scoring pass as the Green Bay Packers eliminated the Vikings 24-10 on Saturday night in their NFC wild-card playoff game.

Christian Ponder was inactive for the Vikings because of a right elbow injury so Webb started at quarterback for the first time all season, and Aaron Rodgers made the passing gap between the two teams even wider. Rodgers went 23 for 33 for 274 yards and no turnovers, leading touchdown drives of 82, 62 and 80 yards.

Webb completed only 11 of 30 passes in the game for 180 yards.

Ponder had been on the injury list during the week with limited participation in practice, but Vikings officials believed he would be able to play. Before Saturday’s game, he threw a dozen passes on the field before leaving with head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman. An hour later, the Vikings put him on the inactive list.

“After looking at what he was able to do during the week, he tried to do everything he could to be prepared to play today,” Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier said. “He made a little progress, and we took him out before the game, but after the workout, we just felt that it wouldn’t be the wise thing to do.”

Webb had taken a snap only in kneel-down formation this season, although he played in relief during his first two seasons. Webb also started three games, including two as a rookie in 2010. He relieved Ponder and helped the Vikings to a victory at Washington on Christmas Eve 2011 in a game in which Adrian Peterson tore ligaments in his left knee.

Ponder had some problems with swelling and tightness in his throwing elbow at Florida State. He twice had fluid drained from the elbow joint during his senior year.

It was also reported earlier this week that Ponder is suffering from bursitis in his throwing elbow, which may take weeks to heal.

Ponder was hurt last Sunday when Packers safety Morgan Burnett delivered a jarring hit on a blitz.

Harris, a former Jaguar, led the Packers in rushing with 47 yards and a touchdown on Saturday night. He also caught five passes for 53 yards.